The National tribune., 1887-06-02
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
THE CULTIVATION OF LILIES.


obtained in stores. such as freshly imported
ones usually arc, good blooms can be had by
growing them in pots the first year. After
ward they should be set out in bed and just
here is where many fail in their attempts to
grow the lily. Lilies love coolness at the root,
and to give them this must be the aim. A bed
should be prepared such as is often recon-
mended for rhOdodcndrons. 1t should be dug
up deeply, and if lot of sticks and rubbish
can be filled in at the bottom so much the bot
ter A soil lOosened NJ two feet deep, with
layer of rubbish at the bottom, will be cool and
moist when surrounding soil will be dried out
in Summer. The soil for lilies should be largely
composed Of rotten leaves and sand, a soil in
which some thoroughly decayed manure has
been worked in. The next thing is to set the
bulbs about six inches deep instead Of barely
below the soil as some do. If six inches below
the surface, they will be cool enough without
muching the bed in Summer, though, for all,
mulching always pays, Summer and Winter.
The beautiful and sweet Lilium auratum and
the many other foreign and native sorts, in
Guiding the pretty little native of the South,
Lilium Catestei, can be grown in this way.
DOES ANY coMRADE KNowf
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: / wish some
of your agricultural readers would inform me,
through your paper. what will kill livefor-
ever. 1t is a nuisance on some farms in this
place.. ID. b., Glenwood, ~.
PROTECTING ANI,IALs FROM FLIES
At this season of the year the ANNOYANCE
caused to animals by flies and musketos often
amounts TO positive agony, and at all times in
what is called good corn weather, it is sufficient
TO prevent the stock eating enough to keep them
in good condition. The animals will stand in
the water or pass the greater part of the day in
the shade, rather than expose themselves to
| the sunshine going out to eat only when driven
by hunger. They quickly lose flesh, the flow
OF milk shrinks, and loss is incurred that can
not be easily made good again. At all times q
good feed of grain is beneficial to stock but il
is especially so when flies are very annoying,
since 1t will do much to prevent shrinkage of
flesh and milk. Horses and mileh COWS NAV
| be protected, in great measure at least, by
wiping them all over with sponge dipped in
soapsuds in which little carbolc aid has been
mixed. Bulls confined In stables often suffer
enough from the attacks of flies to drive them
half mad, and there is no doubt that the con-
tinued fretting caused in this way develops a
savage disposition. The most satisfactory re-
suits have followed from spOnging Jersey
bull in stall with sOapsuds aud carbolic acid
Mixed Chicago Tribune.
CARE OF HARNESS
Unless harnesses receive proper attention
they will become hard, dry stiff and exceed \
ingly uncomfortable for the animals that are
compelled TO wear them. The harness should
be soft and pliable and can be kept so only by
necessary attention and occasional oiling; when
the life of the leather is maintained it is easy
for the animal 20 work in il and moro durable |
harness should be wiped of after being used,
hot 4
it, and hung in a closet or where it can be COW
cred. BY use it is natural that the harness
should become dry; IL should then be oiled by
taking TO pieces backening over the rubbed
portions after il is cleanly washed off and dried
upon the surface The best oil for this use is
neatsioOt oil, with sufficient lampblack to give
ii good color. Give thorough application,
and when soaked in, if the harness is very dry,
give another application, and before using wipe
of with a dry WOODEN cloth. Thus harnesses
may be preserved.
THE ASPARAGUS BED.
Asparagus, which is by many considered such
a luxury, can DO made an important factor in
table use at a season when fresh vegetables are
wanting. The asparagus bed should be made
rich in the Fall by a very liberal application of
manure. In the early Spring burn a brush
heap over it, that the soil may be warmed sooner
than the sun can accomplish it; spread the
spading in. rake over carefully, top-dress with
salt or old brine, aud 4 vigorous growth of sue
cuIent and tender shoots will be the reward.
NOTES.
Never turn the stock out the first time
when the grass is wet. 1t may cause hoven or
bloat.
The real value of mules is not generally
known, as they will do as much work as horses,
Oh less food, and keep sound and live longer
- AS rule 1t pays TO mulch the soil about
newly-transplanted trees. OF course if the
weather continues wet, there is no need of
| mulch-the tree will do better without it,
One OF our best farmers says that he
considers poor yield of corn better than
good yield of oats. Oats with US are an un-
certain crop at best.
The best way Of preventing fowls and
birds from pulling up corn after planting is to
ehectually stir little gas-tar among the seed
corn and roll il in pIaster-say about half a
pint of the tar TO bushel of corn.
1t IS best that two persons should be en-
ployed IN planting trees. Each can render
timely assistance to the other. While one holds
the tree the other can work in fine soil about
the roots. Firm the soil about and over the
roots.
Wrapping the stems Of cabbage plants
with a small part of the leaf of horseradish or
burdock, has from time immemOrial proved an |
ehcctual protection against the attacks of the |
cutworm. The earth should be piled up around
the wrapping little, TO keep it in place.
- farmer fed his beef COW n scoop shovel |
ful twice day Of clear cornmeal He was 90
Ing to fatten ler in a hurry. He might as well
have run half of it through "A sieve for all the
good IT did the COW. Half the quantity would
have been right, mixed with chaff or some
fodder.
1t is interesting to hear people tell how
easy II IS greatly TO improve peas by careful
selection. We have engaged in this easy busi-
ness for years. and find the Improvement pretty
slow work. The same is true Of tomatoes and. |
indeed, Of sweet corn.
- How 10 kill trees in transplanting: Ex-
pOso the roots to the sun and air. 1t is neither
consistent nor provident TO the expense Of pur- |
chasing trees after having made careful selec-
tlons, and then TO kill them. The roots of
eycrgreens will stand less exposure than those
OF deciduOus trees.
- An English experimenter finds that con-
tNfy 10 general opinion, a growth of ivy over
house renders the interior entirely free from |
moisture; the ivy extracts every possible par
ticle OF moisture from wood brick or stone for |
its own sustenance, by means of the tiny roots |
which work their way into even the hardest |
stone.
- Fruit and other trees arc whitewashcd to |
advantage, provided the wash is not put on |
heavily enough TO close up the pores of the |
bark too much. Many farmers who do not like |
the appearance of whitewash on the trunk of |
trees each Spring paint the bodies of them with |
a wash of potash or I've killing many insecta